Mini Facelift

Most patients describe a mini-facelift as only moderately uncomfortable rather than painful. Discomfort is usually most noticeable in the first few days following surgery and can be well-controlled with prescribed pain medication and cold compresses. As the healing process continues, any lingering tightness gradually resolves, leaving behind improved contours with minimal downtime.

You can expect several appointments as part of your mini-facelift journey, each carefully scheduled to monitor your progress and ensure optimal healing. After your initial consultation and pre-operative visit, your first post-op appointment will typically take place within 24 hours of surgery. Additional follow-ups are scheduled throughout the following weeks, months, and even up to a year after your procedure to track your recovery, answer any questions, and assess long-term results. On average, most patients attend between 4 and 6 follow-up appointments. 

Initial improvements in the jawline and neck can often be seen within a few weeks after your mini-facelift, once early swelling and bruising begin to subside. However, your final results will continue to refine over time as the tissues settle and heal. Most patients see their full outcome between 6 and 12 months post-procedure, with a noticeably smoother, firmer, and more youthful appearance that still looks natural. The results of a mini-facelift are designed to be long-lasting, especially when combined with a healthy lifestyle and proper skin care. 

Many patients opt to combine their mini-facelift with additional treatments, such as eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty), brow lift, facial fat grafting, or laser skin resurfacing, to address multiple areas of concern in a single surgical session. Others may opt for non-surgical enhancements such as dermal fillers, Botox, or skin tightening treatments to further refine their results over time. During your consultation at the Bitar Cosmetic Surgery Institute, Dr. Bitar will work with you to design a personalized treatment plan that addresses your unique goals and delivers the most flattering outcome with minimal downtime. 

At the Bitar Cosmetic Surgery Institute, we take pride in ensuring that we provide our patients with the best possible surgical experience, anticipating potential problems or setbacks and addressing them before they occur. This process includes pre-operative preparation, the actual surgery, and post-operative care.

• General Complications
  General complications can occur with any surgery. Cosmetic surgery is typically a safe procedure performed on healthy patients and, like all surgeries, carries a low risk. To further reduce the risk of complications, we operate at a first-class surgery center with board-certified anesthesiologists and nurses. To avoid postoperative complications, we advocate for early mobilization – patients seen in our office one or two days after surgery- and active participation in their own postoperative care. When we create a partnership, the results invariably improve.

• Bleeding
  Bleeding after a mini facelift is rare. Before surgery, our patients are tested to make sure they don’t have any common bleeding disorders by their own physicians and by lab tests. The use of tumescent solution before liposuction of the neck and jowls during a mini facelift minimizes bleeding. Furthermore, the use of the special fibrin sealant also minimizes bleeding. In our practice, the rate of significant bleeding is less than 1%. The treatment of a hematoma or blood clot under the skin involves opening the incision and removing the blood clot. Typically, this is a straightforward procedure.

• Infection
  The most important step in avoiding infections is to undergo surgery at a first-rate surgical facility with board-certified anesthesiologists and nurses. Patients are given the appropriate intravenous antibiotic coverage throughout the surgery. During the surgery, the patient’s skin surface is cleaned thoroughly. After the procedure, our patients are prescribed a one-week course of antibiotics to minimize infection. As a result of these extra precautions, our rate of infection after a mini facelift is extremely rare. It may occur at the superficial incision level around the ears, where the tension is highest, and a small open wound may occur, which will usually heal nicely with dressing changes and antibiotic ointment.

• Open Wounds
  In a mini facelift, a relatively large amount of skin is manipulated, and the skin is closed under mild tension. Because the incisions are under tension, there can be either loss of some skin or a small opening of the wound around the ears. This is treated with dressing changes and wound cleaning in the office as needed. This occurs in approximately 1% of patients. Usually, the wounds heal very well, and nothing further needs to be done with nicely hidden scars. Very rarely, we perform scar revisions to enhance the appearance of a scar.

• Nerve Injury
  One advantage of a mini facelift over a full facelift is that fewer nerves in the lower face and neck are affected by the surgery. The result is a minimal rate of nerve injury. In rare instances, temporary loss of sensation from a “stunned” nerve or a bruised nerve may occur in the time period after surgery. This may result in a temporarily uneven smile, but full nerve function usually returns within a few days to a few weeks.

• Smoking
  Smoking is an absolute contraindication for a mini facelift. The carbon monoxide and nicotine in cigarette smoke cause a severe reduction in blood supply to the skin during healing. This results in delayed wound healing, wound separation, death, and a higher risk of infection. Cotinine testing is performed in patients with a smoking history to ensure that they are safe when having this procedure.